[Title] Dulles' Comments on the Japan-Soviet Negotiations, Press release 450

Press release 450 dated August 28

Q. Mr. Secretary, while you were in London, there were reports that when you went and met with Minister Shigemitsu of Japan you discussed the territorial question as involved in a Japanese treaty with Russia. Could you tell us something about your views of that treaty?

A. Well, this is at the moment primarily a matter between the Japanese Government and the Soviet Union. The Japanese Foreign Minister told me about the problems that they had encountered at Moscow and the reason why they had discontinued, temporarily at least, the negotiations - because of a difference of opinion about the territorial clause. But he was reporting the developments to me more than anything else.

Q. Well, Mr. Secretary, to follow that up, you were quoted in some reports as saying that, if Japan recognized the Soviet claims of sovereignty over the Kuriles, it might open the way for United States demands for sovereignty over other islands, particularly Okinawa.

A. I pointed out to the Japanese Government - as a matter of fact, we had done it before I met with Mr. Shigemitsu in London - that there was an article, article 26, of the treaty which did contain a provision that if a treaty was made with another government on terms more favorable than the Japanese peace treaty which we had signed then we would be entitled to claim comparable benefits. That clause was put in the treaty - I wrote the treaty very largely, as you may remember - for the very purpose of trying to prevent the Soviet Union from getting more favorable treatment than the United States got. I merely reminded the Japanese of the existance{sic} of that clause. I did not attempt to indicate what its operation would be or that in fact it would be invoked. I merely pointed out that there was such a clause.

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